The present invention relates in general to a label and in particular to a stripe coated, linerless label.
Labels have become a popular solution to a number of applications ranging from addressing envelopes, parcels, and packaged goods to product identification and pricing. A typical label consists of a ply of material which may include information or other indicia printed on its face, and an adhesive coat applied to its back. The label further includes a release coated liner ply. The liner ply is typically treated with a substance such as silicone, and placed on the back of the label to cover and protect the adhesive. A user peels the protective, release coated liner ply from the label, adheres the label to the work surface, and discards the liner ply. However, the present inventors have recognized that under certain circumstances, there are disadvantages associated with this label arrangement, such as environmental costs including the necessity of disposing of the liner ply, increased cost of manufacturing the liner ply, and the time required for a user to peel the liner ply from the label, and dispose of the waste.
Manufacturers have attempted to solve some of the above problems by providing a label that does not require a separable liner. One known label construction forms a linerless label by stacking two labels back to back. The backs of each label contain areas of adhesive and areas of adhesive repellant. The positioning is such that the adhesive on the back of the first label aligns with the adhesive repellant area on the back of the second label, and the adhesive on the back of the second label aligns with the adhesive repellant on the back of the first label. While this label construction does provide a linerless label, the alignment of the labels back to back is ineffective where a user wishes to use only one label at a time. Additionally, it may be difficult for a manufacturer to align the areas of adhesive and adhesive repellant on the same side of the label ply.
A second known label coats the entire face of a label with an adhesive repellant liner coat, and the back of the entire label with adhesive. The labels are assembled such that the face of a first label acts as the liner for a second label, which is stacked thereon. While this label construction does provide a label that can be dispensed one at a time, this label construction is often expensive and difficult to manufacture, and because of the adhesive on the back of the label, perforating machines may jam or get clogged up. Also, the adhesive repellant may yield a very low surface energy making it difficult for users to handwrite or print upon the label.
Yet another known label coats the entire back of a label with adhesive. The face of the label is coated with successive layers of an ink based adhesive repellant. A final in transparent layer of ink adhesive repellant overlies the entire label face. The labels are assembled such that the face of a first label acts as the liner for a second label. While this arrangement avoids a liner, it requires several passes to ink the label, and still yields a label face with low surface energy.
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of previously known labels by providing a linerless label that can be easily imaged, printed, or hand written upon by the end user and provides a convenient, and flexible solution to a broad range of label applications. The present invention includes a label roll formed from a web of ply. The face of the web is stripe coated with an adhesive repellant release coat. The back of the web of ply is stripe coated with adhesive. Upon winding the web of ply into a roll, the adhesive on the back of the web of ply overlies the adhesive repellant stripes on the face of the web therebelow. The regions of the face of the web of ply not striped with adhesive repellant form areas for user printing and handwriting. Further, any portion of the face of the web of ply may be press printed prior to the application of the adhesive repellant stripes. Likewise, a label stack includes a plurality of label sheets superposed one on top the other. The face of each label sheet is stripe coated with an adhesive repellant release coat, and the back of each label sheet is stripe coated with adhesive. The stack is formed such that the adhesive on the back of each label sheet overlies the release coat on the label therebelow.
In a first embodiment of the present invention, a label roll is formed from a web of ply having a plurality of transverse lines of perforations dividing the web of ply into a plurality of separable labels. Each label has a label face, and a label back, and first and second web edges extending in the direction of the web. A pattern release coat is applied to each of the label faces, and a pattern adhesive is applied to each of the label backs. The web of ply is formed into a roll such that the pattern adhesive overlies the pattern release coat. The label roll may optionally include a release liner covering the adhesive portion of the first, and innermost label in the roll. Preferably, each label face includes at least two release coat free areas, and at least two stripes of release coat in the direction of the web of ply. More preferably, each label face includes a first ha stripe of release coat adjacent to the first web edge, a second stripe of release coat adjacent to the second web edge, and at least one stripe of release coat applied between the first and second stripes of release coat. Printed indicia may be applied to rig each label face, and may be applied in a release coat free area, or the printed indicia may be overlain by a stripe of release coat. Further, pattern adhesive may overlie the pattern release coat within the release coat periphery, thus allowing for a tolerance for manufacturing.
In a second embodiment of the present invention, a label stack is formed from a a plurality of plies, each ply having a face, a back, and first and second longitudinal edges. A pattern release coat is applied to the face of each ply, and a pattern adhesive coat applied to the back each ply. The plurality of plies are stacked such that the pattern release coat on each ply is in register with the pattern adhesive on the ply immediately above. The plies forming the label stack may optionally be superposed on a liner ply to protect the adhesive on the bottom ply. The face of each ply preferably includes at least two release coat free areas, and at least two stripes of release coat. More preferably, the face of each label includes a first stripe of release coat adjacent the first longitudinal edge, a second stripe of release coat adjacent the second longitudinal edge, and at least one stripe of release coat-applied between the first and second stripes of release coat. To assist the user in removing a single label from the stack, the back of each ply includes a lift edge, and an adhesive free zone adjacent at least a portion of the lift edge. To assist the manufacturing process of the label stack, the pattern adhesive can be applied in stripes thinner than their corresponding release coat stripes so that the adhesive overlies the pattern release coat within the release coat periphery. This tolerance will allow for slightly imprecise stacking without sacrificing label performance. Further, printed indicia may be applied to the face of the ply.